New Developments in Understanding Values
Martin Kirk works for Oxfam encouraging UK people to understand poverty. The question is, are we winning against poverty and suffering? Unfortunately not, as climate change is setting us back, whereas at the end of the 20th century we were winning. Oxfam's interest in values grew out of this sober realisation that we will fail to tackle climate change, and overcome global poverty and suffering, with our current strategies. We simply don't have the tools or the understanding to face up to the scale of the threat, or to the forces that are holding politicians and public alike from taking the sort of action we know is required.
Concern for poverty in the UK peaked in about March 2005. Why is public support not continuing to go up when the visibility of these issues has massively increased? The problem is values. At the start of the "Make Poverty History" campaign, we wanted to make it a call for justice instead of charity. Unfortunately this was swamped by everything else and the charity value got pushed too much. Another problem with this campaign is that NGO campaigners thought too much about government policy and not enough about connecting with the public. Make Poverty History didn't tap into people's values, rather it was feeding data to politicians to convince them to do what they already wanted to do.
Over the last 12 months we have been working with colleagues from WWF and a host of other NGOs to understand better what constrains us all. We have come to understand how values are ordered and operate, and how they define the social and political space available for 'bigger than self' issues. We have crafted an ambitious agenda, based on the idea of wide collaboration around values, to re-define the boundaries of debate and action at a national level. This agenda draws on the rich library of data on values, combines it with learning about cognitive frames, and sketches out a vision that has the potential to match the tools we have to the challenges we face.
Values can be practically implemented through cognitive frames. "Frames are the mental structures that allow human beings to understand reality" (George Lakoff). Cognitive frames can go from surface frames through which individuals interact with the world down to deep frames which represent fundamental values. We have identified the surface frames that need to be used to encourage positive deep frames. We shouldn't use surface frames such as charity, aid, development, corruption, communication and campaigns. We need a definable shift in dominant social values. We are at the beginning of the journey. We need all the help we can get. See powerpoint presentation (4.8mb).
The 'Good Governance for Medicines' Programme
Dr Guitelle Baghdadi-Sabeti of the World Health Organization linked values to health. One third of the world population does not have access to essential medicine. Why is this figure so high when we have improved training, infrastructure, etc? Mainly because of corruption which is the biggest single obstacle to economic and social development. Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for personal gain. It negatively affects access and quality of health care. It endangers the health of entire communities, wastes resources and destroys public trust. The pharmaceutical sector is quite complicated and is open to corruption at many points. There is a strong correlation between the corruption index of a country and its infant mortality rate.
To address this challenge, WHO has launched the 'Good Governance for Medicines' (GGM) Programme. Its goal is to contribute to health systems strengthening and to prevent corruption by promoting good governance in the pharmaceutical sector. It complements a top down approach (based on laws and procedures designed to reduce corruption through fear of punishment) with a bottom-up values based approach. The programme assists countries through a three‐step process of assessing their vulnerabilities to corruption, and developing and implementing specific programmes to maintain efficient health‐care systems. The willingness of governments to implement the GGM has exceeded initial expectations. Starting in 2004 as a pilot project in four Asian countries, the GGM now operates in 26 countries. Successes are already visible: medicine procurement practices have been enhanced, leading to lower costs for medicines; pharmaceutical services and information are publicly available on ministry of health web sites; management of conflicts of interest is implemented; and a culture of transparency is emerging. Momentum for change is increasing, and good governance is often a top priority item on the agendas of ministries of health. See powerpoint presentation (14.2mb).
The Value of Design in a Sustainability Context
Karen Blincoe, former Director of Schumacher College and President of Danish Designers related design to sustainability. Design is seen as the link between production and consumption. It is a very essential factor in unsustainable development patterns. Design is the driver of consumerism. All washing powder is basically the same, it is design that drives desire for one product over another. Design is used to awaken unfulfilled desires.
However things are starting to change. Design can be used as a tool for sustainable development. Design as the link between production and consumption can be used to further sustainable behaviour in many areas such as health, transport and energy. Examples of sustainable design can be found in nature. Design research has informed this change in design. It is now less of an instruction process and more of a facilitation process. Designers facilitate other people to design systems and products. Collectively wisdom is more and more being used to solve complex problems. See powerpoint presentation (11.9mb) and pdf version (18.6mb).
Measurement: Making Values a Normal Part of Projects and Organizations
In the last paper of the morning plenary, Arthur Dahl first reviewed the ESDinds project, its research approach, the variety of case studies as proof of principle, and the resulting WeValue.org platform. The project showed that measuring behaviours or feelings linked to values was possible, and that when these measurements were given a common values interpretation within an organization, they had internal consistency and validity. When values are measured, they become important and can be consciously encouraged or cultivated. Organizations or projects that are strongly values-driven have more effective outcomes. The flexibility of the approach can adapt to most situations and values frameworks. Measuring desirable behaviours and values becomes positively reinforcing. The WeValue.org partnership and web site provide a place to take this work forward and share experience. See powerpoint presentation (7.7mb) and pdf version (7.9mb).